Tribute to Beloved Workhorse at Lambert Todd Festival

Reserve — Each year, the tight-knit community of Reserve comes alive with the sights and sounds of the Lambert Todd Festival, a beloved celebration held every second Saturday in June to honor a horse that became a local legend. This year’s festivities kick off on Saturday, June 14, with the traditional parade down Main Street, featuring antique farm equipment, floats decorated with horse motifs, and—of course—a centerpiece tribute to Lambert Todd himself. 

Born in 1927 on the MacKinnon family farm just outside Reserve, Lambert Todd was a chestnut gelding whose gentle disposition and remarkable strength helped generations of farmers till fields, haul timber, and tend to community events. Over the decades, stories circulated of Lambert Todd calmly leading first communion processions, stepping softly even when crowds lined the road, and patiently standing still while children patted his flank. When he passed away in 1945 at the age of eighteen, the entire township mourned. A small bronze plaque now marks his favorite grazing spot on the old MacKinnon pasture.

Festival chairperson Marlene “Millie” Collins explains, “Lambert Todd wasn’t just a working horse—he was family. He symbolized the resilience and kindness Reserve people are known for. Every year, we remember him by bringing everyone together, young and old, to celebrate our shared heritage.”

The day’s events begin at 9 a.m. with a miniature horse show at the Reserve Community Grounds, where local riders compete in obstacle courses and costume contests. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the pie-baking competition—dubbed the “Saddle‐Up Sweet Treats” bake-off—draws enthusiastic crowds eager to taste everything from blueberry crumble to sour cherry galettes. Meanwhile, a craft fair lines the church parking lot, showcasing handcrafted leather reins, horsehair jewelry, and embroidered quilts that depict Lambert Todd in his prime.

At 2 p.m., a storytelling circle forms under the old maple by the community hall. Longtime resident Gary MacLeod, whose grandfather once helped care for Lambert Todd, will recount anecdotes—like the time the horse calmly carried a litter of orphaned lambs across the frozen bog so a local shepherd could nurse them. “He had a heart as big as his hooves,” MacLeod says with a grin.

As dusk settles, families gather on picnic blankets for live music by local fiddlers and a square-dance demo, followed by a fireworks finale right over the MacKinnon pasture where Lambert Todd once roamed. Admission is by donation, with proceeds supporting the Reserve Historical Society’s preservation efforts. By day’s end, the festival reminds everyone that, in Reserve, simple acts of kindness—like a horse standing patiently for a child’s caress—can echo through generations.